November 22, 2019

Barn on the Edge of the Pond  ©Tracey Grumbach

Dear Driftwood,

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

[Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, 1963]”
― John F. Kennedy 

It is Thanksgiving again and another year we celebrate without you here but you're always in our hearts. As John. F. Kennedy pointed out 55 years ago and you pointed out to me many times in my life, thankfulness is better shown and not heard. I have always taken that to heart and I hope I am doing you proud by showing my gratitude for even my smallest blessings on a daily basis. After all, I truly am blessed beyond deserving.

We are keeping our Thanksgiving small this year since Tyler and Brenna are only briefly in town from school. Although it will be small, just seven of us, it is a huge day to be sure since all of my children will be under one roof together. That happens less and less nowadays, so I am so thankful for this opportunity.

I wish you, dear Driftwood, a beautiful Thanksgiving wherever you may be. And to the rest of my friends and family scattered about out there, I hope you stop today to count the many blessings you already have...family, friends, food, health, a job, a car, a home, electricity, clean water, clothing, etc. Not everyone has the joy of these simple pleasures, so be sure to live each day, not just today, remembering just how truly blessed you are.

Until next time,
Me

November 20, 2018

Lost in the Fog of Hope  ©Tracey Grumbach

Dear Driftwood,

“Tell me what’s the difference
between hope and waiting
because my heart doesn’t know
It constantly cuts itself on the glass of waiting
It constantly gets lost in the fog of hope”
― Anna Kamienska; "Difference"

Oh, Driftwood...what IS the difference between hope and waiting? Do you know? My best guess is that hope involves a dose of faith that an event will happen while waiting doesn't. But who am I to say? All I can say for sure is that I am hoping and waiting to get better every day. I am also hoping and waiting to see you again one day.

Yesterday was a foggy morning. I was on my way to donate clothing to our church after dropping the kids off at school and I was stopped by construction traffic. I saw this beautiful scene. There is something so incredibly intriguing about the sun coming through the fog. It is mysterious and beautiful. Dark and light at the same time. It obscures some things and yet makes other things seem to stand out. So fascinating.

I've spent much of this past week dealing with a very bad headache (on day 6 now) after starting a new treatment schedule for Lyme. I am not sure if this headache is a result of a side effect of the medicine or if it is from herxing, but either way, it has kept me in a mental fog. Fog seems to be a recurring theme in this letter. It guess it is a good description for my mind, my mood, and my outlook. 

Until next time...

Love,
Me

November 10, 2018

Free Your Mind.  ©Tracey Grumbach

My Dearest Driftwood,

“There are so many people whose minds do not belong to them. There are so many people whose thoughts have been purchased by people. There are so many people who have made people kings and queens of their thought. There are so many people who cannot sleep because of people. There are so many people whose lives are a small percentage of their own self and a greater percentage of others. When the offenses of people occupy your mind, your mind becomes the offenses of people instead of your own mind. To have your own mind and to be your own self, free your mind!”
― Ernest Agyemang Yeboah 

You missed the election this past Tuesday. You always told me how important it was to exercise my right to vote and so I do, but honestly having anything to do with the political system these days is so frustrating. I don't even want to really talk about it because I have made a commitment to replace all the negativity of today's media with my own positivity and that is just what I am going to do. I've made a commitment to post positive happenings and thoughts happening in the world on my Facebook page and refrain from discussing anything negative. I wish more people would recognize that we all have more IN COMMON than DIFFERENT from one another. Complaining about politics here, in this letter to you, is futile and depressing and I don't stand for that.

The only reason I even bring it up is because yesterday I was playing around with some of my old collage cut outs and this piece, Free Your Mind, slowly formed. Sometimes when I am stuck creatively, I like to just dump a bunch of things on the table and let my subconscious go to work. I keep it silent in my studio and use whatever materials I feel are speaking to me. As I was playing with the different pieces, the idea for Free Your Mind began to form. I created something similar to this a while back (see below) using this same cut out, but I actually like this one better so I am glad I revisited it. The idea of old thoughts, habits, mistakes, perceptions, and offenses being released from the confines of ones own mind developed into this collage piece and I think it is a direct result of listening to and watching all the close minded people in the mainstream media during the election process. Sometimes NOT thinking and just doing lets all those subconscious ideas to flow forward.

©Tracey Grumbach

Anyway, I know how independent you are, so I thought you would appreciate this piece. Until next time, Driftwood...keep drifting.

With much love,
Me